Was it alright? "I would like to say that it will be... but only time will tell." His voice was dry as the paper around them, but not without humor. More of that hoity-toity sage drivel no doubt, the bard thought wryly, but just because it was trite didn't mean it couldn't also be true. It was hard to be optimistic when his blood was streaked with darkness and his hands shook badly enough that he couldn't even find solace in his instruments any more without missing notes on anything harder than a children's ditty or a marching song.
He nodded acceptance of the request to speak to the Fae, for he had to arrange a meeting with Arduinna soon anyways. He might not be wise to waste her time with such a question, but while he was in the woods perhaps he would find Jiao or Eliza.
Loren's hesitation over Edrei's demise broke through some of the ice and anger that Zariah's name had sparked in the bard, and he paused to look the younger man over with a little more concern. "Did you... not know?" He asked after a moment's hesitation. "About the landsharks?" He had assumed that Ronin had eventually passed around the information but perhaps he had been wrong. Landsharks were still preferable to Zariah though, the reminders of the Tyrant playing havoc with the discipline he clung desperately to, trying to keep his rage bottled up until he could find a safer outlet for it. Loren's easy understanding of what he had almost let slip had his eyes widening, however, the edge of his anger blunted by surprise at the easy epithets that fell from the Launceleyn man's lips. "The first was more the direction I was going. She was no mistress nor queen of mine." He'd never let her get close enough to lay hands on him, but he drew in a sharp breath at the scars that silvered the other man's skin, eyes narrowing and lips curling back in a silent snarl at the evidence that continued to mount against the ex-ruler of the Hollowed Grounds. He did not, however, appear to be surprised. Edy had given him warnings enough of her own upbringing that he found the display unsettling but not unexpected.
Whether he wanted to or not, he found a grudging respect growing for the man who might be victim as much as enabler of the messed up Launceleyn family. If Edy had not been his friend he might have assumed Loren to be lying, but he had shared stories with the bright-burning mistress of the Rathskeller. Stories and danger, blood and booze. The Launceleyns were a fucked up family, no less to themselves than those around them, but Edy had shown that they could shine in spite of their upbringing, and it was for her sake that he decided to give this new Launceleyn mage another chance.
"If you have any questions about any of the traditions in there most Naturals can help, or you can ask one of the Loreseekers," he added with a nod towards where the guild's door stood in the back corner of the great building. It still had an unfortunate message from Edy carved in its doors... but he hadn't had the heart to try and get them fixed yet.
There was merit in not weakening the walls of the manor, and Jigano nodded thoughtfully as Loren gave his reasons for not involving the other mages the bard had mentioned. When he explained that some doors were hidden by magic, though, a thoughtful frown creased the white-haired man's lips. "At the meeting didn't you say you had glasses that could see through illusions?" Then again, Deimos had hidden a door with transmutation magic to make it look identical to what was around it so that it blended in perfectly. There was no lingering magic involved, only the illusion of clever workmanship. If Zariah had gone that route instead it would be much harder, and would indeed require Remi's assistance. Which, given the state of the alchemist's memories and Ronin's illness, Jigano could understand not approaching the young man.
The mention of weakness had him cocking his head to the side again, a bird-like gesture he had picked up after gaining an avian shift. Weakness, lack of appetite, bouts of irrational anger... "Have you been sick?" It was a cautious question as he studied Loren with a more intent gaze that was clinical rather than judgmental. "Uninterested in eating, unable to sleep? Sudden bouts of irrational anger? Cold skin and shaky hands?" His own symptoms, but ones he had seen in others now that he knew what to look for.
He settled back to wait at the admonition, leaning his hip on the table as he tucked his hands into his wide sleeves for warmth as he contemplated the man who had yelled insults at him not so long ago, then apologized, and now... now, what? He wasn't sure, and his brow furrowed in thought as he tried to decide whether his previous anger at the man could be trusted. It was a foolish question, of course; none of his anger could be trusted these days, and whether it was justified or not mattered not at all. The result would be the same, and he would lose a little more of himself in the process.
Lost in his own thoughts he was a little startled when Loren spun the back towards him, grinning with the sort of bright joy that usually accompanied a major find. Jigano refrained from arching a skeptical brow with an act of will, leaning forward to peer at the words, skimming them swiftly to try and find what had caught the mage's eye. Hunters and hounds and a young heroine who had found herself the prey... He looked up as Loren began to talk, and this time a brow did rise, though in thoughtful consideration. "To find the keys?" he asked curiously. "Did Remi say how many he had made?" If he had only made two, one each for Zariah and Edrei, then Loren might still be barking up the wrong tree, but if not then there was still a chance to go prowling through whatever terrors or treasures the Tyrant had seen fit to lock away.
He nodded acceptance of the request to speak to the Fae, for he had to arrange a meeting with Arduinna soon anyways. He might not be wise to waste her time with such a question, but while he was in the woods perhaps he would find Jiao or Eliza.
Loren's hesitation over Edrei's demise broke through some of the ice and anger that Zariah's name had sparked in the bard, and he paused to look the younger man over with a little more concern. "Did you... not know?" He asked after a moment's hesitation. "About the landsharks?" He had assumed that Ronin had eventually passed around the information but perhaps he had been wrong. Landsharks were still preferable to Zariah though, the reminders of the Tyrant playing havoc with the discipline he clung desperately to, trying to keep his rage bottled up until he could find a safer outlet for it. Loren's easy understanding of what he had almost let slip had his eyes widening, however, the edge of his anger blunted by surprise at the easy epithets that fell from the Launceleyn man's lips. "The first was more the direction I was going. She was no mistress nor queen of mine." He'd never let her get close enough to lay hands on him, but he drew in a sharp breath at the scars that silvered the other man's skin, eyes narrowing and lips curling back in a silent snarl at the evidence that continued to mount against the ex-ruler of the Hollowed Grounds. He did not, however, appear to be surprised. Edy had given him warnings enough of her own upbringing that he found the display unsettling but not unexpected.
Whether he wanted to or not, he found a grudging respect growing for the man who might be victim as much as enabler of the messed up Launceleyn family. If Edy had not been his friend he might have assumed Loren to be lying, but he had shared stories with the bright-burning mistress of the Rathskeller. Stories and danger, blood and booze. The Launceleyns were a fucked up family, no less to themselves than those around them, but Edy had shown that they could shine in spite of their upbringing, and it was for her sake that he decided to give this new Launceleyn mage another chance.
"If you have any questions about any of the traditions in there most Naturals can help, or you can ask one of the Loreseekers," he added with a nod towards where the guild's door stood in the back corner of the great building. It still had an unfortunate message from Edy carved in its doors... but he hadn't had the heart to try and get them fixed yet.
There was merit in not weakening the walls of the manor, and Jigano nodded thoughtfully as Loren gave his reasons for not involving the other mages the bard had mentioned. When he explained that some doors were hidden by magic, though, a thoughtful frown creased the white-haired man's lips. "At the meeting didn't you say you had glasses that could see through illusions?" Then again, Deimos had hidden a door with transmutation magic to make it look identical to what was around it so that it blended in perfectly. There was no lingering magic involved, only the illusion of clever workmanship. If Zariah had gone that route instead it would be much harder, and would indeed require Remi's assistance. Which, given the state of the alchemist's memories and Ronin's illness, Jigano could understand not approaching the young man.
The mention of weakness had him cocking his head to the side again, a bird-like gesture he had picked up after gaining an avian shift. Weakness, lack of appetite, bouts of irrational anger... "Have you been sick?" It was a cautious question as he studied Loren with a more intent gaze that was clinical rather than judgmental. "Uninterested in eating, unable to sleep? Sudden bouts of irrational anger? Cold skin and shaky hands?" His own symptoms, but ones he had seen in others now that he knew what to look for.
He settled back to wait at the admonition, leaning his hip on the table as he tucked his hands into his wide sleeves for warmth as he contemplated the man who had yelled insults at him not so long ago, then apologized, and now... now, what? He wasn't sure, and his brow furrowed in thought as he tried to decide whether his previous anger at the man could be trusted. It was a foolish question, of course; none of his anger could be trusted these days, and whether it was justified or not mattered not at all. The result would be the same, and he would lose a little more of himself in the process.
Lost in his own thoughts he was a little startled when Loren spun the back towards him, grinning with the sort of bright joy that usually accompanied a major find. Jigano refrained from arching a skeptical brow with an act of will, leaning forward to peer at the words, skimming them swiftly to try and find what had caught the mage's eye. Hunters and hounds and a young heroine who had found herself the prey... He looked up as Loren began to talk, and this time a brow did rise, though in thoughtful consideration. "To find the keys?" he asked curiously. "Did Remi say how many he had made?" If he had only made two, one each for Zariah and Edrei, then Loren might still be barking up the wrong tree, but if not then there was still a chance to go prowling through whatever terrors or treasures the Tyrant had seen fit to lock away.
